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McKinney is optimistic about trade talks with Japan

USDA undersecretary Ted McKinney says the fact that the U.S. and Japan both have “trade templates” in place should help when the two countries begin their bilateral trade talks.

“They have their own trading partnerships. They’ve done a free trade agreement with Europe. We’ve just finished USMCA and there’s some wonderful language there. And TPP has some terrific language specific to agriculture,” McKinney says. “So I’m not sure it’s quite a cut-and-paste exercise. But there’s a lot to pull from and that gives me encouragement that this thing doesn’t have to drag on forever.”

Agriculture will be a major focus of those trade talks. U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue has said the U.S. will push Japan to reduce tariffs on U.S. ag products beyond levels contained in a free trade agreement between Japan and the European Union.

Brownfield’s Tom Steever contributed to this report.

AUDIO: Excerpt from McKinney’s recent news conference in Des Moines